What can I expect from CLA?
CLA is involved in fat reduction processes and stimulates muscle growth. The overall effects depend on your eating habits and the use of additional supplements (BCAAs, other fat burners).
In general, a reduced fat diet and carbohydrates, while being on a diet high with proteins and omega 3 acids, contributes to the CLA’s excellent features.
To support the effect of CLA, adjust the amount of substrates you consume for your individual training and dietary goals and keep the daily intake of proteins as constant as possible.
Function and Impact:
The unsaturated fatty acid CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) is naturally present in meat and dairy products. However, the consumption of these products does not lead to any remarkable intake of CLA. Plus, consumption of meat and dietary products is associated with high levels of saturated fats. Thereby supplementation of CLA does not lead to consumption of any undesirable substances.
CLA contains bioactive isomers (cis-10 and trans-12), which according to recent scientific studies, effectively contribute to dieting.
CLA increases thermogenesis of body fat and energy metabolism. This leads to an increase of burnt calories and deficit of energy balance (balance between calories consumed and calories used) thus stimulating weight loss.
CLA reduces the amount of fat stored and has a positive effect on a deficient energy balance. CLA supports splitting of fat in the cells and the breakdown of fat cells for better degradation of fat in the body.
CLA can reduce the levels of leptin. Leptin is a protein hormone produced in adipose tissue and plays a key role in weight gain.
On top off all these significant characteristics, CLA improves cholesterol levels and sensitizes insulin in muscle cells. By the sensitization of insulin, and anabolic hormones in general, CLA improves the penetration of substrates such as Creatine and amino acids and assimilation of nitrogen (stimulation of building muscle mass) and nitrogen retention (reduction of muscle degradation).
All these characteristics are interlinked, and justify the results of various scientific studies in which athletes supplementing with CLA lost 20% of their body fat within 8 weeks, and built up to 5% of their muscle mass.
